Shahaji II

Apr 22, 2026 - 02:22
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Shahaji II

Changed Legacy: to Personal interests

← Previous revision Revision as of 20:50, 21 April 2026
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==Early life, family, and education==
==Early life, family, and education==
Shahaji was born on 4 April 1910 as Vikramsinhrao to [[Tukojirao III]], the Maharaja of Dewas (Senior), and his wife, Radha Bai.{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=DEWAS Snr |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/d/dewassnr.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704132930/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/d/dewassnr.html |archive-date=2017-07-04 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=members.iinet.net.au}}{{Cite book |last=Solomon |first=R. V. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=47sfj8DUwNgC |title=Indian States: A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey |last2=Bond |first2=J. W. |date=2006 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-1965-4 |pages=285 |language=en}} His mother was the only daughter of [[Shahu of Kolhapur|Shahu]], the Maharaja of Kolhapur.{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=KOLHAPUR |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/k/kolhapur.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703190311/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/k/kolhapur.html |archive-date=2017-07-03 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=members.iinet.net.au}} His family and close friends called him Nana Sahib, and as a child his guardians nicknamed him Vikky.{{Cite book |last=Malgonkar |first=Manohar |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Puars_of_Dewas_Senior/xEA-AAAAMAAJ |title=The Puars of Dewas Senior |date=1963 |publisher=Orient Longmans |pages=276,281,293 |language=en}} He spent his early childhood between [[Dewas]] and [[Kolhapur]]. From the age of six onwards, he lived firstly with [[Malcolm Lyall Darling|Malcolm L. Darling]] and then with P. E. Richards. He was educated privately and passed his matriculation in 1924 and his intermediate in 1926. Following that, he was educated at Christian College in [[Indore]] and at Rajaram College in Kolhapur.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Indian_and_Pakistan_Year_Book/NEIdAQAAMAAJ |title=The Indian and Pakistan Year Book |date=1939 |publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Company |pages=1140 |language=en}} He received his military training at O.T.C. in Indore and O.T.S. in [[Mhow]].{{Cite book |last=Sir Stanley Reed |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.109405 |title=The Indian Year Book 1942 Vol 29 |date=1945 |pages=1175}} He married on 30 December 1926 to Pramila Raje, a daughter of Ramrao II Amritrao of [[Jath State|Jath]].{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=JATH |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/j/jath.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605163131/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/j/jath.html |archive-date=2017-06-05 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=members.iinet.net.au}} By her, he had a son, [[Krishnajirao III]], and three daughters: Shalini Raje, Vijaya Raje, and Urmila Raje. When his father moved to [[Pondicherry]] in 1933, the [[British government of India|Government of India]] placed the administration of Dewas (Senior) in his hands on 26 July 1934, and from that date onwards until 21 December 1937 he continued to administer the affairs of the state as the President of the State Council.{{Cite book |last=Srivastava |first=Vinay K. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Methodology_and_Fieldwork/mq1HAAAAYAAJ |title=Methodology and Fieldwork |date=2004 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-566727-1 |pages=288 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=McClenaghan |first=Tony |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Indian_Princely_Medals/YQdZlHJ2WTAC |title=Indian Princely Medals: A Record of the Orders, Decorations, and Medals of the Indian Princely States |date=1996 |publisher=Lancer Publishers |isbn=978-1-897829-19-6 |pages=119–121 |language=en}} On 28 June 1962, he adopted Dilipsinh, eldest son of his daughter Shalini Raje and Rajaramsinhrao Bhonsle of Nagpur, as his heir and to succeed him on Kolhapur in due course of time.{{Cite book |last=Malgonkar |first=Manohar |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Chhatrapatis_of_Kolhapur/h1ADAAAAMAAJ |title=Chhatrapatis of Kolhapur |date=1971 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |pages=597 |language=en}} Upon adoption, Dilipsinh was renamed as [[Shahu II of Kolhapur|Shahu II]].
Shahaji was born on 4 April 1910 as Vikramsinhrao to [[Tukojirao III]], the Maharaja of Dewas (Senior), and his wife, Radha Bai.{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=DEWAS Snr |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/d/dewassnr.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704132930/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/d/dewassnr.html |archive-date=2017-07-04 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=members.iinet.net.au}}{{Cite book |last=Solomon |first=R. V. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=47sfj8DUwNgC |title=Indian States: A Biographical, Historical, and Administrative Survey |last2=Bond |first2=J. W. |date=2006 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-1965-4 |pages=285 |language=en}} His mother was the only daughter of [[Shahu of Kolhapur|Shahu]], the Maharaja of Kolhapur.{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=KOLHAPUR |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/k/kolhapur.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703190311/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/k/kolhapur.html |archive-date=2017-07-03 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=members.iinet.net.au}} His family and close friends called him Nana Sahib, and as a child his guardians nicknamed him Vikky.{{Cite book |last=Malgonkar |first=Manohar |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Puars_of_Dewas_Senior/xEA-AAAAMAAJ |title=The Puars of Dewas Senior |date=1963 |publisher=Orient Longmans |pages=276,281,293 |language=en}} He spent his early childhood between [[Dewas]] and [[Kolhapur]]. From the age of six onwards, he lived firstly with [[Malcolm Lyall Darling|Malcolm L. Darling]] and then with P. E. Richards. He was educated privately and passed his matriculation in 1924 and his intermediate in 1926. Following that, he was educated at Christian College in [[Indore]] and at Rajaram College in Kolhapur.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Indian_and_Pakistan_Year_Book/NEIdAQAAMAAJ |title=The Indian and Pakistan Year Book |date=1939 |publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Company |pages=1140 |language=en}} He received his military training at O.T.C. in Indore and O.T.S. in [[Mhow]].{{Cite book |last=Sir Stanley Reed |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.109405 |title=The Indian Year Book 1942 Vol 29 |date=1945 |pages=1175}} He married on 30 December 1926 to Pramila Raje, a daughter of Ramrao II Amritrao of [[Jath State|Jath]].{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=JATH |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/j/jath.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605163131/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/j/jath.html |archive-date=2017-06-05 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=members.iinet.net.au}} By her, he had a son, [[Krishnajirao III]], and three daughters: Shalini Raje, Vijaya Raje, and Urmila Raje. When his father moved to [[Pondicherry]] in 1933, the [[British government of India|Government of India]] placed the administration of Dewas (Senior) in his hands on 26 July 1934, and from that date onwards until 21 December 1937 he continued to administer the affairs of the state as the President of the State Council.{{Cite book |last=Srivastava |first=Vinay K. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Methodology_and_Fieldwork/mq1HAAAAYAAJ |title=Methodology and Fieldwork |date=2004 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-566727-1 |pages=288 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=McClenaghan |first=Tony |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Indian_Princely_Medals/YQdZlHJ2WTAC |title=Indian Princely Medals: A Record of the Orders, Decorations, and Medals of the Indian Princely States |date=1996 |publisher=Lancer Publishers |isbn=978-1-897829-19-6 |pages=119–121 |language=en}} On 28 June 1962, he adopted Dilipsinh, eldest son of his daughter Shalini Raje and Rajaramsinhrao Bhonsle of Nagpur, as his heir and to succeed him in Kolhapur in due course of time.{{Cite book |last=Malgonkar |first=Manohar |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Chhatrapatis_of_Kolhapur/h1ADAAAAMAAJ |title=Chhatrapatis of Kolhapur |date=1971 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |pages=597 |language=en}} Upon adoption, Dilipsinh was renamed as [[Shahu II of Kolhapur|Shahu II]].


== Reign in Dewas (Senior) ==
== Reign in Dewas (Senior) ==
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He died on 9 May 1983 and was succeeded by [[Shahu II of Kolhapur|Shahu II]] as the Maharaja of Kolhapur.
He died on 9 May 1983 and was succeeded by [[Shahu II of Kolhapur|Shahu II]] as the Maharaja of Kolhapur.


==Personal interests==
==Legacy==


Shahaji was an excellent sportsman. He was an accomplished [[horse rider]] and a frequent player of [[Tent pegging|tent-pegging]] and [[pig-sticking]]. Apart from playing, he used to avidly patronise the sports and was a patron of the Kolhapur Sports Association. Shahaji was also a patron of [[Pehlwani|kushti]] and when he saw [[K. D. Jadhav]] win a wrestling tournament at Raja Ram College, he sponsored Jadhav’s trip to [[London]] for the [[1948 Summer Olympics]].{{Cite web |last=Venkat |first=Rahul |date=22 July 2020 |title=How KD Jadhav became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/wrestling-first-indian-win-olympic-medal-1952-kd-jadhav |website=Olympics.com}} He frequently took part in [[tiger hunting]] and had shot over a hundred of them; apart from them, he had also shot a number of other animals. In 1961, he undertook a [[safari]] to [[East Africa]] and that same year, with his wife Pramila, toured the world.
Maharaja Shahaji II was a renowned patron of '''Kushti (traditional wrestling)'''; he established several akharas and famously supported Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, who won India’s first individual Olympic medal in 1952.


== Titles, styles, and honours ==
== Titles, styles, and honours ==
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